“Globally, there’s so much incredible rhythm-based music right now. From Trini soca and Brazilian baile funk to French afro-trap, South African gqom and the new wave of UK funky; all these different scenes, sounds, they’re thriving. We want to connect the dots between them, bridge the gaps, bring everything together, with our productions, DJ sets and, ultimately, live band.”
Global thinking comes naturally to Jus Now. In the half decade since Trinidadian producer Lazerbeam and UK beat-smith Interface met on a dark Bristol dancefloor, cross-continental collaboration has been at the very heart of everything they’ve done.
Separated by 5,000 miles of Atlantic ocean with deeply disparate upbringings and musical influences, but united by a love of percussion, rhythm, bass and a damn good party, Jus Now’s music could never have been anything but utterly unique.
While at first the duo may have struggled to place their genre-shirking sounds, or even find enough music to play alongside their own in DJ sets; these days it seems the rest of the planet is finally catching up with what Jus Now have been doing since day one.
Alongside their production work for many of Caribbean’s biggest superstars - including the smash hit ‘Big Bad Soca’ for Trinidad’s Bunji Garlin and ‘Fire (Spotie)’ with Jamaica’s Busy Signal - Jus Now have been busy in their new London studio working on fresh, globally infused UK rhythms and collaborating with the likes of Dismantle, Champion and Brazilian producers A.MA.SSA.
Although now signed to Warner music and with previous releases on premium independent imprints such as Gutterfunk, Digital Soundboy and 3beat, their latest EP, ‘Accents’ is a self-released project available exclusively via Bandcamp.
The EP packs six powerful, club-ready tracks that, in typical Jus Now style, draw influence from everywhere from Port of Spain to Paris. Bassy, bashy and ridden with rhythm, the tracks are inspired by the duo’s global travels and own unique sets of influence. Fusing classic Bristol D&B b-lines with off-kilter Brazilian drums; clattering Kuduro cadences with hypnotic techno grooves and lolloping Libyan rhythms with pitch-stretching synths; like everything they do, ‘Accents’ is as unique as it is incendiary.
Even though it’s been 7 years since they first met on that smoky Bristol dance floor, it finally feels like the world is ready for what Jus Now do. And with this latest EP behind them and a full live band featuring trumpeters, dancers, drummers and more in the works, it’s clear - Jus Now are ready for the world.
Jonathan Cook